Russian detectives: a list of the best films and series

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Intriguing investigations, puzzles, unpredictable plot twists, a paranoid atmosphere in which everything is suspect - these are the main components of detective film adaptations. The best Russian detectives for the most part have two options for the development of the storyline. Either the detective arrives at the scene of the crime, accompanied by experts, looking for eyewitnesses, gradually outlining the circle of suspects, or the action takes place in a confined space and all those present become suspects. Movies and series that tell such stories more fascinating than others are presented in this publication.

Cult movie

Criminal retrodrama "The Meeting Place Can't Be Changed" (1979) was filmed by Stanislav Govorukhin long before the passionate journalistic revelations "The Second Criminal Revolution" and "You Can't Live Like This". Like the cult series "Seventeen Moments of Spring", the project was sold in jokes and sayings,entered the minds of millions of viewers almost at the mythological level. The film adaptation of the seemingly ordinary novel by the brothers G. and A. Vainers "The Era of Mercy" is deservedly ranked among the best Russian detective stories, as it has long become not just a significant milestone in Russian cinema art, but a recognizable sign of mentality.

An unrivaled masterpiece

No less beloved and not killed by time is the work of Igor Maslennikov "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson". It is this legendary project that is considered by many contemporaries to be the best of Russian detective films. Stylish, ironic, classic mini-series gave the public a wonderful duet of Vasily Livanov as Sherlock Holmes and Vitaly Solomin as Dr. Watson. It is so familiar and correct that sometimes it seems that Conan Doyle wrote his stories from this couple.

These projects, no doubt, must open the list of Russian detectives.

Soviet detective stories based on Western scenarios

Russian detective films in the era of the USSR were often adaptations of foreign detective literature. Basically, these were chamber stories with sometimes naive direction and geographical and historical unreliability. Russian detective stories from the times of the USSR were chamber stories (based on the works of A. Christie and D. Priestley). The traditional top three of the most famous and popular are:

• Screening of the novel by Cyril Hare - the film "Purely English Murder" (1974). Writerlittle known in our country, but thanks to the efforts of director S. Samsonov, who created a two-part tape, his work became one of the hits of Soviet television.
• Not many Russian detectives can compare with the brilliant production of "Ten Little Indians" (1987) by S. Govorukhin based on the opus of the same name by A. Christie, which the writer herself called her best novel. This is the darkest and truly frightening detective in this publication. At the end of Soviet cinema, Govorukhin made the best film version of the classic novel in comparison with foreign samples.
• One of the best Russian films-detectives, undoubtedly, is another film adaptation of A. Christie's work called "The Secret of the Blackbirds" (1983). The story is based on the story of a private investigation of a savvy, inquisitive lady of venerable age, Miss Marple. The picture was taken by Vadim Derbenev, who later once again turned to Christie's writings about the detective Hercule Poirot. But "The Endhouse Mystery" with A. Ravikovich in the title role was not so successful.

Noteworthy

The most successful and significant Russian detective films also include:

• Staging by Ada Neretniece Death Under Sailing (1976).
• One of the best works by V. Basov "Dangerous Turn" (1972). The black-and-white camera tape is full of irony, pure English stiff humor, love passions and intrigues.
• Psychological detective story "Inspector Gull" (1979) directed by A. Proshkin ("The Cold Summer of 1953").
• Screen adaptation of the play by Frederic Nott, created by the Moldovan director Vasile Brescanu under the title Tony Wendice's Mistake (1981).
• Interpretation of A. Christie's play "The Mousetrap" (1990), dedicated to the memory of Vladimir Basov.
• Accident (1974) and Favorite (1976) are also curious Russian detectives - film adaptations of classics recommended for viewing.

TV detectives to be ashamed of

New Russian detectives, using innovative techniques in the production process, adequately continue the traditions of Russian cinema. For example, the series by Konstantin Statsky "Major" (2014-2018). It has everything that foreign TV shows like "Force Majeure" or "White Collar" love for: a charismatic and immensely charming protagonist, unforeseen twists and turns of the plot, correlated with Russian realities, a verified script, action, humor and excellent casting.

Yuri Bykov's series "Method" (2015) was ambiguously received by the audience, but highly appreciated by film critics. The project, created in the spirit of "Dexter" and "True Detective", has a gloomy atmosphere.

Russian detectives filmed in the last decade: MosGaz (2012), City (2015), Pennsylvania (2015), Farewell, darling! (2014), "The Seventh Rune" (2014) - will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the genre.

Mix of detective and science fiction

Few authors of new Russian detective seriesdecide to combine the most sought-after and popular genres in their projects. However, recently there have been more and more such copies in the domestic film industry.

"The Other Side of the Moon" (2012-2015). The series is based on the fantastic novel by A. Kott, which is a Russian adaptation of the legendary British project Life on Mars. The main character, police captain Mikhail Solovyov (P. Derevyanko) is in a coma. In an incomprehensible way, he finds himself in the 70s, the era of the USSR, faces his irreconcilable enemy - a maniac nicknamed Red (I. Shibanov) and meets true love (S. Smirnova-Martsinkevich). At the same time, the investigator is investigating most current crimes with ease.

With a mystical touch

Among the Russian detective series created for TV-3, the mystical TV movie Anna Detective (2016) stands out. Events unfold at the end of the 19th century, the story revolves around a strange young lady Anna Mironova (A. Nikiforova), who successfully practices spiritualism. For 50 episodes, the heroine was able to assist provincial investigator Yakov Shtolman (D. Fried) in solving various atrocities.

A non-standard detective is the film "Touch" (1992) directed by Albert Mkrtchyan. Some film experts position the picture as the first post-Soviet horror. The story revolves around ghosts that haunt honest and good people, inciting them to commit suicide. The main character is an investigatorprosecutor's office, trying to protect the daughter and granddaughter of a dead colleague from otherworldly influence. The police worker meets the victims of the supernatural during the investigation.